MARC LEPINE: CRIMINAL OR FOLK HERO?
Most folk heroes started out as criminals, so they say. In 1989, it was clear to most people what Marc Lepine was: a criminal and a mass murderer. Twenty years later, it has changed: it is far from clear now. The simple fact that his name has not been forgotten and that his visibility, dare we say popularity, has increased, says a lot not only about the man but about the general public and its perceptions.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

A MARC LEPINE GAME?

IS A MARC LEPINE GAME MARKETABLE?

The question is not whether it is marketable really, rather if it is desirable to have such a game released on the market. Surprisingly, arguments in favour of such an endeavour abound. For instance, just as any iconic figure important to a fringe of the population has a right to occupy some space in the public discourse just as it already occupies space in our imaginations, the younger generation should not be shielded from negative or questionable role models. This, in the name of the freedom of expression of course. If Marc Lepine is part of the popular culture, he should be fair target for the game industry, especially since it has never been successfully proved that ultraviolent videogames lead to killing. So this shouldn't be a problem, for now. And many say that if Jesse James has its plethora of videogames, then Marc should be entitled to his own.

Some may worry about the bad taste of some of these games, Super Columbine Massacre for one, but if we remember that "Life is definitely not a video game'' one has to admit that we don't live forever either, and such a game if done correctly could be the experience of a lifetime. We could actually do in such a game the things that normal, honest, law abiding citizens are never allowed to and can only dream of doing... without getting a taste. Such a game could change lives. But most will say that to put such a game on the market and later allow it into the public domain is criminally negligent. They may be right and theirs is probably the voice of reason, but one can't help to find that REASON IS SO BORING sometimes.

The arguments in favour of a Polytechnique game are rather of an illogical nature, similar to an adolescent frame of mind: daring, geared for illicit pleasure, ready to conquer the world and willfully ignorant of any consequences. And this deliciously crazy mindset starves for the game. Would you deny them the game? Picture yourself a few years into the future: wouldn't you be proud to say to every one ''Hey I played Polytechnique II today, what a great game!''. But there is a danger of course, change and innovation always invite danger as you know. A new deadlier school shooting could occur, and then everyone would be sorry. But cheer up already, and think that the world belongs to the daring: what if someone did a Marc Lepine game? and what if such a game became a success? You'll find that sometimes, great achievements are worth the risk.

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SPEAKING OF VIOLENCE...

WHICH ONE ARE YOU?

Yes, which one are you? For the most part, five groups of people are interested in the Marc Lepine phenomenon: feminists, real women, bleeding heart liberals, criminalists and masculists. All are welcome here to join and post. So which one do you belong to? Maybe the above does not describe you accurately though, and you would like perhaps to add a new category to the pool. Feel free to do so, even if you should be the only one in it. It says nowhere that one cannot be his/her own planet!